Communities throughout B.C. will share more than $20 million with the latest instalment of the Strategic Community Investment Fund (SCIF) announced Bill Bennett, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Most local governments with populations under 20,000 will receive a total of $10 million in Small Community and Regional District Grants to help pay for local infrastructure and service delivery priorities. As well, eligible municipalities will share $10 million in Traffic Fine Revenue Sharing program funding to help offset the cost of policing and community safety.

Since 2009, this provincial fund has provided $562 million to help support B.C. communities, enabling them to invest money in projects that are identified at the local level as a priority.

Quote:

Bill Bennett, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development -

"The Strategic Community Investment Fund has been a reliable source of income to B.C. communities for the past four years. Our government set this up originally when the economy took a nose dive - we wanted to provide funding quickly when the economy was so unstable. Now we are still providing a consistent level of funding communities can rely on to keep services and projects ticking along according to their priorities."

Learn More:

For a backgrounder on the Strategic Community Investment Fund - March 2013 Instalment: http://stage.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/Strategic_Community_Investment_Fund_March_2013.pdf

On the Strategic Community Investment Fund: http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/policy_research/local_government_grants.htm#small_community_grant

Contact:

Matt Gordon
Communications Director
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
250 953-3677